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Younique Business Kit – What’s Inside?

For those of you that are unaware Younique are a beauty company founded in America that are really branching out across Europe. The started with their Fibre Lash Mascara and have brought in so many products it’s no wonder it’s one of the fastest growing network marketing companies. I really wanted to see what all the fuss was about as the products look amazing and so I went ahead and got myself a kit. I’m not the world’s best seller but I’m a sucker for a personal discount and I absolutely love to try new products. I paid the £69 and £6.95 courier delivery charge to have my kit shipped over to me from the Netherlands. It took around a week to get to me which is pretty good although it would have been a little less of a wait if the courier hadn’t decided to give up looking for my house and go home for the day instead…still a little bitter about that, but that’s a rant for another time and I don’t want to tarnish this post with negativity.

I always think its better to start a business with a kit because how do you know if you are actually going to love the products if you haven’t already tried a good handful? How can you show people what the products are? I firmly believe that face to face networking is the strongest and most successful way to network with others, especially when you have something that another person can touch, smell and see. It’s all about building trust! Especially with cosmetics, because it’s a very personal buying decision, especially with things like foundation. People want to be able to try before they buy, you can’t really do that without a kit which is why I think it’s a bit silly having all these “free” opportunities. Nothing is free. It will either cost you time or money before you see a return, or both!

Anyway, I feel like the kit is a great price especially as the products inside are worth £175 so you’re already getting a really good discount. I think that’s why so many people kitnap and then go on to sell to family and friends. They get a great deal, show some friends, get a couple of Mascara’s sold and BOOM they’ve made back their money. Younique’s starting commission is 20% which seems to be about average but you can increase that as you move through the ranks and increase your personal retail and team sales volume. This is pretty average for any network marketing business to be honest, the more you work and the more you bring in the more rewards and money you will make. Younique also allow you to host virtual parties which you can do very easily and it helps earn you commission and half price items. Because of this it looks like Younique is an incredibly lucrative way to build your kit up without you having to use all of your commission.

Let’s get into what’s in the actual kit though shall we?! Firstly it comes in a lovely black and purple box with some gorgeous black and purple tissue paper which matches my bedroom very nicely. The case is really nice and the packaging has a luxury feel. Immediately you can see why these products come with a higher price tag, you are buying what is being marketed as a luxury brand. You can really see and feel it in the care and quality of the packaging. Younique also market themselves as being cruelty-free and suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. The kit case has made a very nice addition to my desk.

The first thing I noticed when I opened it up was all the literature that is included in your kit. Most of these are samples however there is also a very helpful and handy presenters guide which you should take the time to read and a catalogue so you can start making a list of all the products you’re going to want and showing friends and family the wide range that’s available.

I then noticed the makeup remover cloths thanks to the bright yellow packaging. I’ve used these and found they remove makeup really well. They do contain a lot of oils which made me very wary that it would make my skin oily but I haven’t had a bad reaction to them so I’m really happy with that and they smell quite nice too, not as heavily fragranced as some other wipes I’ve used before and they are suitable for eye-makeup removal.

I then wanted to take a look at what eyeshadow palette I was given as it’s chosen at random. I want all three of them personally and I’ve started with number one with is a mixture of matte and shimmers in lovely earthy tones that I feel will help me with a good base to other eyeshadows I have.

The next thing I took out was the Fibre Lash Plus mascara that Younique are pretty famous for which is a bottle of black transplanting gel and a bottle of fibres for great length and volume. I was actually really surprised by this mascara as I’ve never been able to find one that really gave volume. Personally, it’s probably not an everyday mascara for me but for evenings, nights out or when I have time I will probably be using this one, mainly because I feel like I am rushing around in the morning and sometimes don’t have time to put much makeup on. #

The next full sized product is the brand new self tanning lotion which is a generous sized bottle of lotion. This is a brand new addition to the Younique presenter kit which I think is fantastic. It’s so easy to apply, smells nice and gives you a gorgeous summer glow.

The item I was most impressed with is the Splurge Cream shadow in elegant. I’ve never used a cream shadow before but this was lovely to apply and to wear so I’ve been really impressed with it. Alongside this were two eyeshadow brushes and one particularly designed for the cream shadow and the other for the palette and blending.

There are also a fair few samples included in the kit so you can find your ideal shade and get some photo evidence and show of the products nicely. The samples include 3 shades of beachfront bronzer, 5 shades of blush, touch mineral foundation samples and shade selector, 5 mineral eyeshadow samples and a huge selection of lipgloss and lipstain samples which are just fantastic to help you create multiple looks with your kit when you’re just starting out.

I really like that the kit has a great range of full sized products and samples as this helps you to find your favourite shades and know where to put your money. It is also a great way to make those first few sales from friends and family as if you choose to let them you can pick a perfect shade with them. Having this mix really does make an excellent investment because there’s a great amount of choice and it really makes you choose the perfect full sized product!

When it comes to network marketing, as I’ve said before, you need to have passion for the product and be consisitent and persisitent everyday. Find a company that fits in with your ethos, take your time to research, buy a couple of products to try from any friends, start speaking to people regularly not with the intention to sell or recruit but purely to connect and build up strong relationships.

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April 20, 2016
How To Be an Awesome ActiLabs Ambassador & Top FAQ’s

Thinking of working from home selling ActiLabs products? This blog gives you everything you need to know about joining Actilabs from my time as an ambassador.
Acti-Labs is a network marketing company to help ambassadors sell skincare and makeup online. There are lots of ways people earn money these days. I recently wrote about my top five favourite ways to boost your monthly income. I used to be affiliated with ActiLabs and so I wanted to write this post to help those who are looking to become an ambassador make an informed decision. If you’re interested how to join acti-labs you can sign up here.

Acti-Labs UK: What Is Involved

As I work from home full time and network marketing plays a part in that and helps me earn a bit of commission directly into my bank account every Friday. Networking Marketing is not my full time ‘job’ as such however and it’s actually quite a small part of my day.

I love beauty products and so having a chance to try new things always appeals to me, particularly when I can earn a little bit of cash doing so. If you want to try some new products but can’t commit to an online business I recommend trying out BirchBox which is a great way to earn cash for your recommendations.

I use the products, I tell people about them and I check in with my team. Training is at a convenient time for me and I have access to all the information I need. It is a way to earn extra money around other commitments so if you’re a full time mother, working full time, studying or already busy I can assure you that if I have time to fit it into my daily schedule around blogging, promotion, social media management, filming and parenting and making sure I have time to myself to do the things I want to do then anyone else can too. What I like about the company I promote is it means that each weekend some play money whether that’s to go to the cinema, a meal out or a trip away it’s good to know that we have a little flexibility. Before reading through everything below feel free to watch this video about my personal journey with network marketing.

Which Company were you with?

The company I used to promote is called Acti Labs which sell French skincare and make up products. The message Acti Labs want to promote is affordable surgery inspired treatments that you can do at home. That’s nothing scary, I promise, all it means is that the products have a high amount of active ingredient in them which is what makes them work so well. For example, the collagen night cream we retail has a high amount of collagen in and because our products are sold through ambassadors there’s a lot of fee’s to be cut out meaning the money can go into sourcing the collagen rather than into other people’s pockets. When you buy from an Ambassador you are buying a product direct from the laboratory.

What products does ActiLabs sell?

If you’d like to find out more about the products I sell then you can watch this video here showcasing a few of my favourites.

Here is a before and after picture of me. The after picture is using all Acti Labs products except the eyeliner. I’ve used:

Mesoderm Moisturiser
HD Foundation with a Beauty Blender
Contour Palette for contour, blush and shimmer highlight in gold
Diamond Dust in Caramel Glow for a matte finish
Skyscraper Mascara in black
Lip Liner in Candy
Mega Matte Liquid Lipgloss in Candy

Acti Labs have a huge range of products including mineral makeup, skincare, personal care, inch loss solutions, dietary supplements and there are a fair few new products launching in the next few months in these categories. I personally really like the products because they are paraben free, not tested on animals and work really well for my skin. These opinions are based on personal use of the products. I mostly sell to friends and family and have a few regular customers however it’s possible to make a lucrative income from this business. You can sell on social media, you can leaflet/brochure drop if that’s your thing, you can discuss storing products in salons and beauticians or you can get involved in party plan. It’s important to know that your Acti Labs business is your own and as long as you are within compliance guidelines you can run the business however you like.

My current selection of Acti Labs products with the old Acti Derm logo including some from my original kit when purchased.

How can I join Acti-Labs UK?

First of all you will need to connect with a sponsor who will help and guide you as well as bring you up to speed with any training you might need. There is no easy way to find a local ambassador but I would advise reaching out to your network on social media as a friend might know someone that already does it which would then give you a connection. If you want to discuss joining my team you are more than welcome to but please connect with me first using the social media channels or the contact page above which contains my email address. You might want to research the acti-labs compensation plan before you join to find out how exactly you might earn money by selling these products.

Starting a business with Acti Labs is both affordable and really simple to do. You can simply start online only and buy a website with a retail store for £20 or you can start with a kit from £32.50 which is great as you get a few products to try and to start you recommending them. The only condition if you start with a kit is that you need to match the kit value in sales in your first four weeks. So if you start with the £32.50 kit you need to place orders worth £32.50 in your first few weeks of business. If you purchase the £100 kit then you need to place orders worth £100 in the first four weeks. I personally started with the £100 kit and easily got my first £100 orders so it can be done. If you start with the £20 website only offer then you have no targets or sales requirements to hit. This is basically to prevent kitnapping and just buying a kit for personal discount on the products. When you sign up and select your kit option then there’s a terms and agreements form to read and sign if you agree and then you provide a few personal details. You’ll then receive an email to the email address you provided with your log on details and access to your personal shop. The next step is to ensure your information is correct and add your bank details so you can get paid.

Here is the vanity case that came with my £100 start up kit when I joined in November 2015

How Do I Get Paid with Acti-Labs and How Much?

Payment is made on week in arrears on a Friday into your bank. You will earn 20% commission on every order placed by yourself or by customers through your shop link. If you’re looking to work from home you could always have a quick read of my top five ways to boost your monthly income.

Are there any bonuses?

Yes. If you achieve sales of £350 within one calendar month you achieve Diamond status and you will get a 5% bonus on all futher sales placed through your account. So if you have sales of £600 in one month, you will get 5% bonus on the £250 sales.
When you achieve Diamond status for the first time you will get a pandora style bracelet and your first charm. You will then continue to get a charm each time you move up a level through the career plan or with any promotions the company is running.
You can also earn Acti Cash. Please note this information was written a couple of years ago now and may have changed. Speak to an ambassador or look on the actilabs website for more details on the compensation plan.

What is Acti Cash?

Acti Cash is a reward which equals to an online credit on your back office which allows you to purchase products at a discount. This is very useful to expand your kit without actually having to keep paying for them with the commission you earn weekly.

You can use Acti Cash as a way to top up your kit without needing to use all of your weekly commission. Focus on retailing the products and you can expand your kit for free*

How Much Acti Cash can I earn and does it expire?

Acti Cash does expire within one month of it being applied to your account so you need to make sure you use it. You can get £10 Acti Cash if you process orders of £100 in the first 9 days of the month. The Acti Cash will then be applied on 10th day of the month. You also earn Acti Cash for high sales in the month. When you get to Diamond Status you will earn £25 Acti Cash and the amounts increase with the more sales you put through. £500 is £50 Acti Cash and so on. Another way you can earn Acti Cash is by placing bulk orders. A bulk order is an order over £100 and this will earn you 5% Acti Cash. For every £100 order you put through your back office you will earn an extra £5 in Acti Cash as well as the £20 commission paid into your bank account.

Do I have to build a team?

No but you can if you want and yes you can earn commission on team member sales.

Is Acti Labs a Scam or Pyramid Selling?

No. Scams and pyramid selling is illegal. A pyramid scheme never has products to sell and the targets are so unrealistic that only the person at the top ever makes money…hmm…sounds a bit like most huge corporations doesn’t it? Where the CEO gets all the profit and the people at the bottom are stuck doing all the hard work for minimum wage? However, in the aim of transparency it is commission based and you only earn money if you sell products. In my experience Acti Labs seem to be the fairest and have the most affordable product line. I’m seen people have success with these products and this business but MLM companies can get you into debt if you buy more than you can sell. You do not need to stock products but it is advisable to use and showcase use of these products to help generate sales so people can see results and personal feedback.

ActiLabs have products available for consumers to purchase and they reward the affiliate the individual purchases from. They then reward affiliates for introducing others to the company and generating revenue. Instead of using the company profits to buy vacation homes the owners of the company choose to pay commission to the sellers involved. It is a sales job but instead of being in an office you connect with people you already know. Think of it this way…would you prefer to work in a call centre and earn commission speaking to people you don’t know and recommending a product you don’t believe in (PPI comes to mind…) or would you rather recommend products you actually use to friends and family if you think it would benefit them?

Obviously, it’s a personal choice but it really bugs me when people say this is pyramid selling or a scam. It’s a business, and if you work hard at it, like you have to do at anything in life, you will be rewarded. It’s just an alternative way of earning money which has a lot of negative stigma from people who either do not understand or who have had a bad experience.

Will I Make Money with Acti Labs?

Like any position that is sales based – whether that is employed or self employed there is no guarentee I can give you that you will make money. This is not a get rich quick scheme but a genuine business opportunity that can help those that want to give it their all an extra income around their current commitments. If you are consistent, persistent and have passion for your product you will generate some interest. We do not believe in hard selling and pushing our products onto friends and family but instead offer support to speak to others outside of your usual friendship circle and try. A regular business takes between three to five years to turn a profit and as you’ll already have a website set up and ready to retail and possibly a kit there is the chance to make a profit in a quicker turnaround. There are lots of ways you can make money from home, this is just one option. There are five things I do every single month to help me work from home.

You need to put time and effort into your business and work it properly or you won’t see results. One selfie and an update of your kit will not get you £1000’s of orders or people flocking to you. You’ll need to show these people they can trust you and that you have something to offer before they’ll make a purchase from you. Parties are a great way to give yourself a confidence boost and get your first few sales because you’ll be showcasing the products and talking to people face to face. Face to face is the best way to network.

My advice would be to treat your business like a business, attend the trainings, be in contact with your upline, stick to the 80:20 social media rule – that is 80% personal and 20% business posts and be P.C.P about it – persistent, consistent and have passion!

April 9, 2016
Disneyland Paris – Travel Diary Day 4 and 5

As you know we’ve just returned from a fantastic time away in Disneyland Paris. We travelled light and spent four nights and five days over in France making sure we took in some of the sights of Paris before heading home. If you want to take a look at the whole of our trip take a look at my travel diary day one with tips on how to get to Disneyland Paris from Paris Gare du Nord. You can also check out my video of the Disney Princesses dancing when we had lunch with them and read all about days two and three which have loads of great pictures of our time. If you’re interested you can also read all about the perks of having a Golden Forest room in Sequoia Lodge.

Day 4 – Final Day In Disneyland Park

On our fourth day we rushed into the park for the extra magic hours at 8am and headed to the first character meet and greet queue to meet Minnie Mouse! Luckily Mickey was there too so we got a picture of both of them together which was great. We then headed over to meet Goofy and Pluto who quickly became a firm favourite of my daughters as he gave her a lot of hugs and kisses.

After that Adam braved Space Mountain alone and said it was a great ride, if a little dated, but I think that’s the charm of the ride. It’s pretty old now and is due for refurbishment next year in honour of the 25th Disneyland Paris Anniversary. During that time Mini Kat and I headed around the some of the stores in Discoveryland looking at all the fantastic merchandise. You could literally spend a fortune here – stay strong!

We braved a few more rides as it was nice and sunny including It’s a Small World before heading back to our hotel as my partner was feeling a little rough and suffering with toothache. It was also really cold that morning so I took the chance to have a lovely hot bath and we spend a bit of time relaxing before heading over to the Rainforest Cafe for a late lunch. We did have to wait for about fifteen minutes to get a table but there’s so much to look at in the shop before the restaurant and the environment itself. Mini Kat loved watching the fish swimming in the pillars and over the entrance. Afterwards we spent a little time grabbing souvenirs and finishing of Mini Kat’s spending money on Lego in their fantastic lego store in the Disney Village. We then headed over to Ratatouille with our fast pass, watched the parade and went back for an early night.

We actually spend a little bit of time in the bar before heading up to our room and I got to sample a delicious Blue Glowtini which comes with a glowing ice cube that you can keep. It’s a vodka cocktail and is €14.95. Childrens versions are also available but Mini Kat wanted a rainbow slush puppy.

Day 5 – Checking Out and Wondering Around Paris

Check out is at 11am so we had a late breakfast, finished packing and were at the desk for eleven. We decided to head into Paris for a bit before our Eurostar connection rather than spend the last few hours in the park so we will definetly be going back next year for the anniversary celebrations, more rides and lots more character meet and greets. Next time we are going to look at staying at Newport Bay or Hotel New York with a Premium Meal Plan so that we can book tables again at ADC, Inventions Character Brunch and Cafe Mickey in the Disney Village. I love the character dining experiences as you can sit down whilst waiting for the characters so it means we can then queue for others we hadn’t had the chance to meet. We also want to go back when Big Thunder Mountain has reopened because I loved that ride as a child.

As we were travelling on a Tuesday we got two Mobilis tickets and one child Paris Visite as they allow you on all modes of transport in Paris. We got off at Charles de Gaulle to take a peak at the Arc de Triomphe first before walking over to the Eiffel Tower. The walk took around 40 minutes but it was a lovely sunny day and it was great to take a chance to walk around.

We then got the metro from Champs de Mars over to St Michael Notre Dame where we found a little cafe aptly named Cafe Notre Dame for lunch. I tried French Onion Soup for the first time which was really warming on a cold day. I also tried pickles and found out I quite like them, especially with ham. Mini Kat was happy with a Pain au Chocolat.

Getting home took a while but it was a fantastic holiday. There’s a few things I would do a little differently. I would consider upgrading our Eurostar seats just to make it a little more comfortable and booking a later train into Paris and an earlier train home. I will always book a club room with Disneyland Paris hotels because of the ability to get free drinks and I will book a meal plan next time so the money we save for Euros between paying off the holiday and actually going can be used on spending money for us all. I would have loved to get all the Lego sets available over there as well as a cuddly toy or two or a snowglobe. That being said, we came back with €100 so I don’t think we did too bad and we didn’t scrimp on anything.

February 20, 2016
Disneyland Paris – Travel Diary – Day 2 and 3

Day 2 – Saturday – A very wet and windy morning at Disneyland Paris

If you’re following on from my Day One travel diary then thank you for coming back. Day two and three fell over the weekend for us and the official start of half term for us Brits which meant on the Saturday it as absolutely heaving. If you can visit midweek then I think you’ll be able to enjoy so much more. It was also incredibly wet on the Saturday raining all day which I think caused my daughter to be quite sick that evening with a raging temperature. I would strongly advise taking painkillers, calpol, nurofen or any other medication that you may need just in case someone gets sick. It can get very busy and hectic in the park and it’s noticibly colder. There’s also nowhere on site you can buy any form of liquid painkiller for children and the nearest chemist is Val d’Europe which is around 5 minutes on the train and closed on a Sunday.

In an emergency the hotel can call a fireman over to address the situation and call paramedics if necessary or there are a few small medical centres on site which, in an emergency, will give out painkillers. We didn’t use any of these services so I can’t comment on them, however, I’ve heard that there is no charge, but my word is not gospel!

Day 2 – Disneyland Park, Extra Magic Hours & Parade

We didn’t really have a plan for getting around the park as it was our first time there but next time I think we’ll attempt a few more things and plan a little better so we see some of the shows. On the second day it rained a lot and my daughters shoes were soaked through by 9am so off we searched for wellies. We found a gorgeous pair of Minni Mouse Wellies in Disney Clothing Store on Main Street for €25.99 – expensive but necessary. I think a lot of children either already had these wellies or bought them there too because we saw these red boots everywhere we went.

The extra magic hours are great for those staying in a Disney hotel as it means you can get into the park from 8am and meet a few characters. On the first day we saw Chip and Dale who were great. They loved my homemade autograph book and made a big fuss as well as gave us some really cheeky photo’s. My daughter found them really funny! We were also able to get on to the carousel and have a good wonder around. We attempted to ride Rataouille and queued for around 30 minutes whilst waiting for the ride to be fixed only to have our fast passes returned to us and asked to come back later. It’s a fantastic ride, very innovative but very, very technical and because of this it does break down quite a lot. Still if you use a fast pass you get it again which is great as it means you can go back later and still not wait ages in the queue. This includes fast passes from the machines and the hotels.

Entrance to Ratatouille in Walt Disney Studios Park

After that we headed over to Annettes Diner for lunch which was brilliant. Food was tasty and some of the waiters were on roller skates which made it look like a really fun place to work. I admire their talent, I can’t even ride a bike let alone roller skate carrying food and seating people! Really worth a trip though and for three of us it only cost around €60 which included drinks and a three course meal for my daughter.

After heading back to the hotel we went for a swim in the Sequoia Lodge Swimming pool which was heated but felt very cool. There is a slide in the pool which my daughter loved and went on with Adam a couple of times. The pool also has a jacuzzi and steam rooms which really helped warm me up and I had the steam room all to myself. It’s probably key to note here that men don’t have to wear speedos at Disney! They can wear regular swimming shorts in the Disney hotel pools. However if staying off site and there’s a pool like Explorers hotel, you’ll need your speedos! We warmed up with some hot chocolates, tea time treats and then headed back to the park for the parade at 5.30pm.

Mickey Mouse in the Parade on Main Street

Day 3 – Disney Princess Day

Meeting Ariel at ADC Restuarant

You may have already seen my post about the Dancing Disney Princesses and the video to go with it! Take a look if you haven’t. It’s one of our biggest highlights. Before heading off for lunch my daughter had her face painted which was just under €15 next to our chosen Cinderella’s Restaurant where we had a table booked. We booked with our holiday which cost £145 for the three of us and included two drinks each, three courses and a bread basket. During lunch we met Cinderella & Prince Charming, Ariel and Snow White at Auberge de Cenderillon which was a very rich but very tasty french cuisine restaurant. The Princess interaction with my daughter was just amazing and they all gave my daughter a huge hug and lots of waves. She had a great time seeing them all. Why not take a look at our full Disney Princess lunch experience?

We then headed over to Princess Pavillion and queued for around 30 minutes to meet Sleeping Beauty and she was completely perfect. She spent so much time with my daughter and loved the book we made. We didn’t feel rushed at all which made it a very memorable experience for us.

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February 19, 2016
Disneyland Paris – Travel Diary Day One

Our 4 nights and five days in Disneyland Paris have been amazing and I wanted to share a run down of our time there and some of our favourite pictures. We left our home to travel up to London on Thursday evening as we had a hotel booked so we could catch our early morning Eurostar train at 5.40 am. We had minor lows throughout the whole time but other than that it’s been a great holiday and I’m already planning when we can go again!

Mini Me was determined to carry her suitcase. It’s the first time she’s ever insisted on carrying anything anywhere.

Day 1 – London to Disneyland Paris, Checking In & First Impressions

Checking in at St Pancras International – make sure you’re there 30-45 minutes before your scheduled department time. It gets busy, you’ll need to have passports checked, scan in your tickets and go through security. It’s a pretty quick process but worth getting there nice and early. Boarding happens around 10-20 minutes before you depart and there’s plenty of space in the departure lounge, cafe for breakfast and hot drinks, toilets and a bureau de change which was handy for us as we needed change for the RER ticket machines in Paris. The Eurostar journey took around 3 hours to get into Paris Gare du Nord.

Travelling via Eurostar is really simple

How to get to Disneyland Paris from Gare du Nord, Paris

Getting to Disneyland from Paris – It’s such an easy journey! We followed the signs to the RER trains which are down two escalators. Very well signposted. Plenty of ticket machines down there so if there are queues for the first ones you see chances are if you pop around the corner you will find some more. You need to have change for the machines, or pay by card as they don’t accept notes. Toilets can also be found down here and are 70 cents per person.

To get to Disneyland Paris from Gare du Nord you’ll need the Ile de France tickets. They’re around €8.30 per adult each way as you can’t buy a return and around €3.60 for a child – (price at the time of paying, February 2016). You then simply walk your way round to the RER B train and you’ll want to get to the next stop which is Chatelet des Halles in the direction of Robinson/Remy. It’s very simple. Changing at Chatelet des Halles is really easy, a quick walk to the other side of the platform gets you on the right side for RER A train to Marne la Vallee-Chessy which is where you’ll find Disneyland. To make sure you’re getting on the right train look up at the boards and if the station of your destination is lit up then you can get on this train and you’ll get to where you need to be.

Our hotel room had a great view

Be aware that there are people on the trains that will walk around asking for money. Keep safe, keep your children close by and do not hold any valuables in areas of clothing that are easily pickpocketed. My phone stayed in my bra for most of our travel time in Paris.

If you’re staying on site like us, you can grab a free shuttle bus service from the train station to your hotel which was incredibly handy. We jumped on with our bags and were checking in at the Golden Forest Club Room desk within 20 minutes of arriving. Check in was effortless and as we arrived around 11am we were given our park tickets and asked to return after 3pm to collect our room keys. We were all feeling a bit hungry so headed over to Earl of Sandwich in the Disney Village which is about half way between Sequoia Lodge hotel and the parks for a quick bite to eat.

Disneyland Paris hot chocolate is amazing and free from 12noon-10.30pm for all those staying in Golden Forest Rooms at Sequoia Lodge Hotel

Walking around to the parks takes around 15 minutes so it’s not too far however the free shuttle bus runs all day, every day until pretty late making it nice and easy for those with little legs! We didn’t do much on our first day other than the teacups and the Dumbo ride which my daughter loved. We took a little walk around Frontierland to see get our bearings a bit before walking back to the hotel in time for afternoon treats and to collect our room key. Having free drinks in the Golden Forest lounge was a perfect way to warm up after a very early start and a very wet arrival in Disneyland Paris! After getting into our room and deciding we didn’t really feel that hungry thanks to the complimentary tea time treats we decided to snack on what we had in our bags, watch a film on Disney Channel – one of the only English channels available and get an early night. You can find out how we spent the rest of our trip on Day 2.

Golden Forest Club Room with Lake View on 7th Floor

February 18, 2016